Optical reflectometer with loss and/or reflectance profile view

摘要

There is provided an optical reflectometric method and system for characterizing an optical fiber link, wherein events in the fiber optic link under test are identified and values of parameters characterizing the events (e.g. location, insertion loss and reflectance) are extracted from an analysis of one or more reflectometric measurements performed on the optical fiber link. A loss profile and/or a reflectance profile are then constructed. The loss and reflectance profiles are typically displayed on screen or otherwise graphically represented for an operator to be able to appreciate the measurement results at a single glance.

主权项

1. An optical reflectometric method for characterizing an optical fiber link comprising at least one optical fiber path, the method comprising:
performing at least one light acquisition, wherein each light acquisition is performed by propagating at least one test light signal in the optical fiber link and detecting corresponding return light from the optical fiber link so as to obtain one or more reflectometric traces representing backscattered and reflected light as a function of distance; identifying at least one event in at least one of the obtained reflectometric traces; for each event, deriving values of parameters characterizing the event using at least one of said reflectometric traces, the parameters comprising a location of the event along the optical fiber link and loss associated with the event; for each of optical fiber segments in-between events, deriving a value of a parameter associated with the optical fiber segment using said at least one of said reflectometric traces, which parameter comprises attenuation associated with the optical fiber segment; and from the derived parameters, constructing a loss profile of the optical fiber link for graphical representation thereof, wherein the loss profile is constructed from the derived parameters of said events and the derived parameters of said optical fiber segments and excludes said reflected light; wherein said loss profile is graphically represented on a Cartesian graph, the abscissa of which representing the distance along the optical fiber link and the ordinate of which representing a cumulated loss/attenuation of the optical fiber link as a function of the distance therealong.